Opening Ceremony

Las Vegas is the undisputed capital of glitz and glam. So it was surprising to find Opening Ceremony in a somewhat austere mood, as the brand geared up for its big Vegas season in Fall '13. In this instance, the Opening Ceremony pre-collection is serving as a literal prelude, telling the story of a girl road-tripping to Sin City for the first time. With that in mind, the lineup took as its starting point a group of rather minimal looks in black and in white. It made for a nice change of pace, in fact, as the stripped-down items revealed a close attention to material and drape. The wide-leg trousers looked particularly great, and were executed in a few different fabrications.

The collection accumulated pizzazz as it moved along: Graphic chevrons heat-bonded onto silk and trippy op-art tees referenced the road, as experienced at high speed, while dressier looks, such as a top and short shorts covered in paillettes, augured Vegas' bright lights and dazzle. The strongest looks, perhaps, were those in a relatively inexpensive pleated spandex—a column dress with a ruffle kicking out at the hem conjured, in a modern way, that louche, late-era Rat Pack glam. Elsewhere, meanwhile, things got a little more girly and soigné, courtesy of tailored pieces in a tile-patterned jacquard. All in all, this collection introduced a more sophisticated point of view for Opening Ceremony, albeit one still infused with the brand's signature sense of fun.